Throw Away That GI!

If you have been following the newsletter, you already know about the new program starting at Evolve Academy. The No-Gi Submission Grappling program has not even started and the interest is already overwhelming. I have been fighting the change for a long time, but everything Evolves. In nature, things either Evolve or becomes extinct. I don’t think Brazilian Jiu Jitsu will ever become extinct but I do see Submission Grappling becoming more popular. Here are some basic reasons why-

1. If you tell a new student the Gi vs No-Gi debate he will most likely want to do No-Gi, especially if he tries both classes. The Gi class starts off by putting on that heavy potato sack. Then you do the warm ups, stretching, conditioning, basic body positioning drills, takedowns or self-defense grappling and then you go into the ground techniques, all while wearing that uncomfortable potato sack.
The No-Gi class starts off by putting on a t-shirt or rash guard and shorts and then doing the same basic class. So you can see why the submission grappling could be more appealing if you are brand new to the sport.

2. A wrestler will automatically want to train in submission grappling because he can become proficient in a short time. He will not have to go through as much of a learning curve because this style relates better to the mat time they have already accumulated.

3. The days of gis in MMA went out a long time ago, so most MMA guys will want to train without the gi because it also relates to what they do better. Even though the technical aspects of the gi transfer well in the cage, it is now possible to become a world class MMA guy without ever putting on the gi.

4. No-Gi training is a lot faster pace and the practitioner’s athletic ability becomes a bigger factor. A physically gifted athlete will be able learn and pull off the moves faster because he does not have to be as technical.

4. For the spectator, the No-Gi is more exciting to watch because the grapplers cannot stall as much as they can in the Gi.

6. There is prize money in the sport. Tournaments are now offering money to the winners, so submission grapplers can actually become pro grapplers. The money is not a lot at this time, but neither was it in MMA when that started.

So the addition of the Submission Grappling program only makes sense. I will always think that training in a gi will make you more technical. It allows you to slow the game down and with the gi you have so many more grips to control the opponent with. A smaller, less physically gifted athlete can equal the playing field in a gi if he is more technical. As far as the debate about realistic training for the street, you can learn things with gi and no-gi. Some instructors will say that attackers wear cloths that you can use, much like the way you use the gi. Others will say it won’t work unless it is a jacket and unless it is winter time you are in trouble. This is nonsense because both types of training will give you valuable skills that can easily be converted to self-defense for the street. It is the instructor’s job to train and show the students how.

As most of you know, I have been training 6 weeks without the gi for the No-Gi Pan Ams. Most of my grappling career has been spent in a gi and the 6 weeks was the longest I have ever been without it. The picture of the fingers is what happens when you put the gi back on. Since I could not use grips my callouses have disappeared. When I put the gi back on last week it was a little unfamiliar, my guard passes where harder and the things I had been getting away with were being shut down. I had to really go back to thinking and strategizing my moves more, but I had a blast. I also had a blast the 6 weeks without the gi. You will have to decide for yourself which you think is better and the one that you like more.

After reading this if you are wondering which one I like better, next time you see me pull to the side and I will tell you.